Promoters Conference

[IainB]

16 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

Don't you have any friends to meet up with?

Always went with my dad... sadly he's no longer with us... gone to the big tractor racing track in the sky 

So I fly solo these days

[Ben91]

There was very rarely an interval at Rye House under Len Silver too. The short grading breaks were your opportunities to use the facilities/get refreshments. Speedway meetings don’t need an interval at all really.

[Toady]

1 hour ago, Ben91 said:

There was very rarely an interval at Rye House under Len Silver too. The short grading breaks were your opportunities to use the facilities/get refreshments. Speedway meetings don’t need an interval at all really.

Sometimes the landlord/stadium owner requires it though

[False dawn]

3 hours ago, iainb said:

Have you ever been to a Speedway meeting alone, as many of us do? On a cold spring or autumn night the allure of watching a tractor (seemingly) endlessly going around the track, soon wears off.

You need to be more sociable. Let me know where you are and I'll buy you a beer. Then we can use all those "unnecessary" breaks to sort out all of the speedway world's problems. 

[marko]

11 hours ago, steve roberts said:

I, too, have never understood why people get so upset about the tractor making an appearance. We used to enjoy the break in racing by having a good old chat amongst ourselves to pass the time.

When it’s needed no problem at all, but all too often it was coming out to grade a track that was a flat as a witches twit and hardly any dirt on it, what’s the point?
Slick, slick, slick, dry and dusty and can’t water it because then it will go like ice, that’s all too often what we have now in this country bar a few tracks like Belle Vue, Redcar and Scunthorpe to name three.

[StevePark]

3 hours ago, marko said:

When it’s needed no problem at all, but all too often it was coming out to grade a track that was a flat as a witches twit and hardly any dirt on it, what’s the point?
Slick, slick, slick, dry and dusty and can’t water it because then it will go like ice, that’s all too often what we have now in this country bar a few tracks like Belle Vue, Redcar and Scunthorpe to name three.

Sometimes (it has been known) promoters/managers get the track staff to grade the track when a rider needs extra time (usually to repair a bike or the like) before the next heat.

[steve roberts]

52 minutes ago, StevePark said:

Sometimes (it has been known) promoters/managers get the track staff to grade the track when a rider needs extra time (usually to repair a bike or the like) before the next heat.

...I'm sure that Bob Dugard was never guilty of that! 

[FromBendThree]

18 hours ago, steve roberts said:

...I'm sure that Bob Dugard was never guilty of that! 

What Mr Pedersen wanted, Bob delivered and then Nicki did 

[1Tsunami]

On 11/21/2023 at 7:26 PM, Fromafar said:

I would have disagree with statement to a point.Some supporters Clubs still make significant funds to Clubs.

Some clubs Yes, but then only a useful contribution to what the promoters have to provide.

[topaz325]

52 minutes ago, 1Tsunami said:

Some clubs Yes, but then only a useful contribution to what the promoters have to provide.

I,m sure promoters are grateful for any help received .

[old bob at herne bay]

What a load of TRACK MATERIAL (edited for politeness) 

Reading the comments got to marvel at what the 2023 speedway supporter enjoys from the sport.

DELAYS  ?  TIME to Chew the cud ? TIME to watch aircraft landing at London City Airport (what I endured at Lakeside speedway)  

Seems the 2023 speedway supporter attends to watch tractor racing.  With today's slick tracks the tractor boys are polishing a turd for many of their endless laps. The water cart  then follows to give the track a nice slimy top. You only have to look at how few track rakers are needed at tracks to realise there's sod all to grade !

Now seems de rigeur for the tractor racing to take place every 4 heats  to allow TV adverts, even when the meeting isn't televised. DELAY after DELAY. Drove me potty and away from the sport. 

Some say its all part of the entertainment seeing whether the tractor(s) do more laps than the riders ? I paid to watch racing not grading -  and need to get through it at a reasonable pace to generate some interest.  Still if that's what 2023 supporter enjoys lets organise official timed tractor races with each  member of track staff giving it a go racing around the track.

 

 

 

   

[steve roberts]

7 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

43 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

What a load of TRACK MATERIAL (edited for politeness) 

Reading the comments got to marvel at what the 2023 speedway supporter enjoys from the sport.

DELAYS  ?  TIME to Chew the cud ? TIME to watch aircraft landing at London City Airport (what I endured at Lakeside speedway)  

Seems the 2023 speedway supporter attends to watch tractor racing.  With today's slick tracks the tractor boys are polishing a turd for many of their endless laps. The water cart  then follows to give the track a nice slimy top. You only have to look at how few track rakers are needed at tracks to realise there's sod all to grade !

Now seems de rigeur for the tractor racing to take place every 4 heats  to allow TV adverts, even when the meeting isn't televised. DELAY after DELAY. Drove me potty and away from the sport. 

Some say its all part of the entertainment seeing whether the tractor(s) do more laps than the riders ? I paid to watch racing not grading -  and need to get through it at a reasonable pace to generate some interest.  Still if that's what 2023 supporter enjoys lets organise official timed tractor races with each  member of track staff giving it a go racing around 

I'd be interested to know how fifteen minutes of actual ontrack action (using fifteen heats as an example) could be improved upon so as to make a full evening's entertainment? Perhaps adopt the American Football scenario and incorporate touchline entertainment?

Edited November 24, 2023 by steve roberts

[Bagpuss]

Load of fuss about nothing. As long as the meeting is run in a reasonable time ie 90 mins or so then what difference does it make how often the tractor does a bit of grading?

[IainB]

On 11/22/2023 at 4:49 PM, False dawn said:

You need to be more sociable. Let me know where you are and I'll buy you a beer. Then we can use all those "unnecessary" breaks to sort out all of the speedway world's problems. 

Bah! Humbug! 

You may live to regret that offer once you can't get rid of me 

If they held the meeting up while we discussed all of Speedway's woe's they'd probably have to abandon the meeting! Is it my imagination or do the tractor breaks at Leicester appear to be longer than at other tracks? I wonder if General Morris will bring in a set time limit for tractor racing? I suppose it is a necessary evil though if we want tracks in tip top condition.

I see you're a Leicester fan until the Bees return... I was the opposite, but Lions were away from the sport for so long that when they re-opened I didn't really attend that regularly until Cov closed down, that was in the bad old days with the track though. I used to follow Cov home and away, it'd be interesting now that if/when they were to return whether I'd return... like I used to. Club loyalty is a funny thing when it's taken out of your hands 

[False dawn]

10 hours ago, iainb said:

Bah! Humbug! 

You may live to regret that offer once you can't get rid of me 

If they held the meeting up while we discussed all of Speedway's woe's they'd probably have to abandon the meeting! Is it my imagination or do the tractor breaks at Leicester appear to be longer than at other tracks? I wonder if General Morris will bring in a set time limit for tractor racing? I suppose it is a necessary evil though if we want tracks in tip top condition.

I see you're a Leicester fan until the Bees return... I was the opposite, but Lions were away from the sport for so long that when they re-opened I didn't really attend that regularly until Cov closed down, that was in the bad old days with the track though. I used to follow Cov home and away, it'd be interesting now that if/when they were to return whether I'd return... like I used to. Club loyalty is a funny thing when it's taken out of your hands 

I do think the tractor racing is more in evidence at Leicester than most other tracks. I've been to meetings with some young kids and a teenager and their comments, such as "not more tractor racing" are a salient reminder why new fans can easily be put off from becoming regulars.

When I moved to Leicester (the old enemy) I realised that I am, first and foremost, a speedway fan.
But I still wear my Bees shirt and coat!

[marko]

On 11/24/2023 at 11:01 PM, Bagpuss said:

Load of fuss about nothing. As long as the meeting is run in a reasonable time ie 90 mins or so then what difference does it make how often the tractor does a bit of grading?

90 mins is fine, I would say that is the sort of perfect ball park, if it was newer an hour it would be too rushed and no time to breath especially after a great race.

When it starts getting on for two hours though, it’s taking the P and tv meetings and some others non tv often end up being dragged out for the sake of it, no rush to get on with it whatsoever even if rain was forecasted.

Lakeside used to have spells like that, made all the worse by one man insisting he had to drive both tractors so we had to wait twice as long in a far from sheltered stadium in the cold and wind.